‘Volcano forensics’ involves a mixture of modern day monitoring and analysis of past eruptions. Geologists use volcanic rocks as a kind of time capsule to assess what happened previously.
Where there’s smoke, there will be lava?
U.S. Geological Survey via AP
Volcanologists study the formation and eruptions of volcanoes - surely one of the most interesting jobs around. However, it can also be very dangerous.
The saga of Öræfajökull suggests we should take small earthquakes in the region seriously.
A detection station for seismic activity at Bilibion, a remote corner of Russia.
The Official CTBTO Photostream (Copyright CTBTO Preparatory Commission)
Human-induced earthquakes have been reported from every continent except Antarctica. We asked a geologist to investigate whether North Korea’s nuclear tests could trigger geological changes.
Hundreds of earthquakes a day are being recorded near Mount Agung in Bali as the volcano threatens to erupt for the first time in more than 50 years.
Balinese farmers with Mount Agung in the background. Areas with high volcanic activity also have some of the world’s most fertile farmlands.
Reuters/Darren Whiteside
Volcanic ash can cause a nuisance to farmers, burying agricultural lands and damaging crops. But in the long term, this ash will create highly productive soil that can support huge populations.
Olympus Mons, biggest volcano in the Solar System.
Justin Cowart
They erupted for billions of years and make Earth’s volcanoes look like molehills. Here’s what we know and what we don’t know about them.
A young boy shields his face from volcanic dust whipped up by winds at the foot of the Mount Yasur Volcano on the south-west coast of on Tanna Island, Vanuatu, Thursday, March 19, 2015.
AAP Image/Dave Hunt
Warnings are being issued to stay clear of an Indonesian volcano following a series of earthquakes.
Clouds over Australia’s Davis Research Station, containing ice particles that activate ozone-depleting chemicals, triggering the annual ozone hole.
Barry Becker/BOM/AAD
The treaty to limit the destruction of the ozone layer is hailed as the most successful environmental agreement of all time. Three decades on, the ozone layer is slowly but surely returning to health.
“Snowball Earth” happened around 700 million years ago.
from www.shutterstock.com
Indigenous people recorded stories that provide much detail about eruptions in Australia. They can help us date natural events in the past and are legitimate sources of scientific information.
4000 km wide view of Mars’ (colour-coded topgraphy) Coprates Chasma.
NASA/USGS/ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G Neukum)
Simon Lamb, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington e Timothy Stern, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
New research shows that satellite measurements of tiny movements of the Earth’s surface can tell scientists what is happening in the deeper layers of our planet.